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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s executive order and its illegal attempt to stop the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) from funding National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). This executive order comes on the heels of the President’s earlier attempt to illegally fire CPB board members.

“Let’s be clear: no president is above the law, and no president can weaponize public broadcasting as a personal propaganda machine. Yet once again President Trump is trying to destroy free speech, silence our media, and keep people from the truth,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Public broadcasting provides people with free community-supported access to news, educational content, and lifesaving emergency alerts. Congress established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as an independent, nonprofit entity — precisely to protect public media from political interference and ensure Americans have access to fair, factual, and nonpartisan journalism.”

“President Trump is not attacking public media because he cares about the truth,” Matsui continued. “He’s targeting it because it tells the truth — even when it doesn’t serve his interests. Time and again, he has used the power of his office to go after independent outlets that refuse to echo his talking points. I will keep fighting to protect public media and the First Amendment from the Trump Administration’s baseless attacks.” 

The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) as a private, non-profit corporation to provide non-commercial educational programming to the public. The CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to presidential authority. CPB provides grants to 1,216 public radio stations and 365 public television stations across the country, to provide nearly 99 percent of the U.S. population with free programming and services.

Congresswoman Matsui is a longtime champion of public broadcasting and freedom of the press. She introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast. The legislation would reaffirm the importance of the independence of the FCC, including that the President should not mandate the FCC’s agenda. Congresswoman Matsui also led a bipartisan letter emphasizing the importance of federal funding for public radio and television.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Co-Chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, released the following statement rebuking House Republicans’ effort to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act waivers for California’s Advanced Clean Trucks, Advanced Clean Cars II, and Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus rules. 

“The evidence is overwhelming: clean air saves lives. That’s why I have spent my career in Congress fighting for stronger emissions standards and cracking down on toxic air pollution,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “For over 50 years, California has used its Clean Air Act authority to lead the way on strong, forward-thinking air pollution standards. Our policies serve as a national blueprint – showing how to cut emissions, drive innovation, create good jobs, lower costs at the pump, and protect families from harmful pollutants. This is a blatant, unlawful attempt to undermine decades of progress and double down on dirty fossil fuels. We must stop wasting everyone’s time and start working for the American people.”

Last month, the Government Accountability Office reiterated a 2023 decision that California’s Clean Air Act waivers were not subject to the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The Senate Parliamentarian has affirmed this determination, ruling that the CRA cannot be used to overturn California’s waivers. 

Congresswoman Matsui has spearheaded efforts in Congress calling for stronger emissions standards for cars and trucks. Under the first Trump Administration, the Congresswoman led opposition to President Trump’s attempts to revoke California’s pollution standards, and the Congresswoman successfully fought for the reinstatement of California’s authority under the Biden Administration.

In March of 2021, she led a letter with 70 of her colleagues urging the Biden Administration to take action to reinstate California’s Clean Air Act waiver and restore the Obama-Biden tailpipe emission and fuel economy standards. In July of 2021, she led a follow up letter with then Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone and 139 of her colleagues to reiterate the importance of reinstating the California Clean Air Act waiver.

                                               

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswomen Doris Matsui (CA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) led 63 House Democrats in a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing their strong opposition to the elimination of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the unjustified termination of nearly half of the agency’s workforce. 

“Established in 2012, the ACL was created to eliminate fragmentation in federal programs for aging and disability populations, improve access to quality healthcare and long-term services, and ensure consistent policies across federal agencies,” wrote the lawmakers. “ACL’s workforce plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating federal, state, and local programs aimed at helping seniors and people with disabilities remain healthy and thrive in their homes and communities.”

“We are gravely concerned about your arbitrary directive to dismantle the ACL and urgently request answers to understand the wide-ranging consequences this decision will have upon the health and wellbeing of older adults and individuals with disabilities,” the lawmakers continued.

This letter is in response to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announcement to end ACL’s critical programs across the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This month, a draft budget proposal outlining the proposed elimination of ACL’s Aging Programs and Nutrition and Disability Services Programs from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was made public. 

This letter has been endorsed by Justice in Aging, National Health Law Program (NHeLP), National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, National Council on Aging, National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA), USAging, Caring Across Generations, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

We are writing to express our strong opposition to the disbandment of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the closure of ACL’s Regional Offices, and the unjustified termination of nearly half of the agency’s workforce, all of which threaten the delivery of critical services for our nation’s seniors, people with disabilities, families, and caregivers. Millions of Americans rely on the ACL’s supportive services—such as Meals on Wheels, caregiver supports, respite, and adult protective services—to live independently and with dignity. We are gravely concerned about your arbitrary directive to dismantle the ACL and urgently request answers to understand the wide-ranging consequences this decision will have upon the health and wellbeing of older adults and individuals with disabilities.

ACL’s workforce plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating federal, state, and local programs aimed at helping seniors and people with disabilities remain healthy and thrive in their homes and communities. Established in 2012, the ACL was created to eliminate fragmentation in federal programs for aging and disability populations, improve access to quality healthcare and long-term services, and ensure consistent policies across federal agencies. The Older Americans Act (OAA) authorizes funding for various ACL- administered programs and activities, providing nearly $1.9 billion in 2024. The ACL oversees grants for state and community programs on aging, including nutrition services, in-home care, transportation, legal assistance, and research. For example, the ACL manages funding for research, training, and demonstration projects, such as the Alzheimer’s Disease Program, Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Program, Elder Falls Prevention Program, and the Senior Medicare Patrol Program. The ACL is also responsible for funding and overseeing disability programs under the Developmental Disabilities Act to support people with disabilities and their families through the State Councils on Developmental Disabilities and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), and to protect people with disabilities from abuse and neglect through the Protection & Advocacy programs. Moreover, the ACL administers the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and the Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Prevention Program. These programs advocate for the rights of residents in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and train professionals in elder abuse prevention. Additionally, the ACL manages the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which offers cost-free, unbiased Medicare guidance to seniors, people with disabilities, and their families. Lastly, The ACL also funds and administers the independent living programs, the state Assistive Technology Programs, and the Aging and Disability Resource Centers to help people get the supports they need to live in the community instead of nursing homes or other institutions.

We understand that HHS has eliminated the staff of entire offices within ACL—seemingly eliminating these offices altogether. For example, the Center for Policy and Evaluation plays a critical role in supporting the Assistant Secretary for Aging in her role as the advisor to the HHS Secretary on aging and disability policy, engaging across HHS to ensure policies consider the needs of these populations, and evaluating the effectiveness of programs consistent with statutory requirements. We understand that all staff in that office have been fired. Finally, we understand that virtually all staff in the Center for Management and Budget, including the budget and grant staff that distribute and monitor funding, have been terminated. Finally, your announcement to eliminate all of ACL’s regional staff will put the direct work with local grantees, particularly the regional staff’s critical coordinating role during natural disasters and other emergencies, at risk.

We are also deeply concerned with your decision to dissolve the ACL and reallocate whichever programs and functions HHS unilaterally decides to keep. We understand from HHS’ April 2nd fact sheet, HHS’ Transformation to Make America Healthy Again, that HHS plans to dismantle unspecified ACL functions across agencies, such as the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). On April 16th, a draft budget proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was made public, outlining the proposed elimination of the ACL’s Elder Falls Prevention, Long-term Care Ombudsman, Elder Rights Support Activities, etc. Additionally, the proposal recommended eliminating ACL’s Nutrition and Disability Services programs, including the State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, Paralysis Resource Center, Limb Loss Resource Center, etc. Lastly, the proposal suggested shifting the aging programs to CMS, the disability and nutrition programs to ACF, and the National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), along with the UCEDD’s, to the Office of Strategy. ACL has been successful in coordinating across the aging and disability networks, ensuring that limited resources can reach most people.

Spreading ACL’s programs across three separate agencies will undermine the efficiencies that have been created by housing these programs together.

Given the severe impacts that ACL’s disbandment and mass staff firings will have on the health of seniors and people with disabilities, we request that you respond to the following questions no later than May 20th:

1. Sec 201 of the OAA establishes the Administration on Aging and mandates that it be led by an Assistant Secretary for Aging. It is the Assistant Secretary’s duty to provide technical assistance and best practices to States, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), and Aging and Disability Resource Centers, on how to coordinate services with health care organizations.13 With the elimination of the ACL, which point person will uphold the responsibilities previously held by the Assistant Secretary for Aging and oversee the federal, state, and local coordination of aging and disability services?
2. We are deeply troubled by your directive to divide unspecified remaining ACL programs and allocate them across several agencies such as ACF, ASPE, and CMS. This decision is particularly alarming given the recent substantial staff terminations within these very same agencies. Given the insufficient staffing, how will you ensure that these agencies are equipped to take on additional responsibilities under ACL’s new organizational structure? With ACL’s programs spread across multiple departments, how do you plan to ensure effective coordination among them and the entities with which ACL coordinates to promote access to services for people with disabilities (including the Department of Labor, Department of Education, and others)?
3. The proposed OMB draft budget suggests the elimination of ACL’s Aging Programs, Nutrition and Disability Services Programs, and the NIDILRR and the UCEDD’s. It also calls for the elimination of discretionary funding for the Aging and Disability Resource Centers and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. If these proposed cuts are implemented, what concrete steps will be taken to address the critical needs these programs currently meet for individuals with disabilities, older adults, and their families?
4. The ACL administers billions of dollars in grants annually to state and local governments and nonprofit organizations that offer services and supports for nearly 10.1 million seniors and people with disabilities.14 It has been reported that staff at ACL’s Center for Management and Budget, who are responsible for overseeing ACL’s grants and contracts, have been terminated. How will you guarantee that funds continue to be delivered in a timely manner to the 56 State Units on Aging (SUAs), 614 AAAs, over 280 Title VI Native American Aging Programs, and tens of thousands of local service providers? Can you guarantee that services and supports to disabled people and older adults will not be disrupted?

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, released the following statement after the House passed the Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced (FUTURE) Networks Act, her legislation that directs the FCC to bring together experts across industry, public interest, and government to establish a 6G Task Force.

“6G will transform the way we communicate – with each other and the world around us,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “It will form the new foundation to revolutionize connectivity and enable us to leverage and integrate AI, sensing, and computing tools into our communications networks. 6G can support smart cities and supercharge augmented reality applications for education, health care, and manufacturing. That’s why the economic and national security stakes couldn’t be higher. America must lead the race to 6G and ensure it reflects our values of democracy, open markets, and transparency. The FUTURE Networks Act ensures our brightest minds in industry, government, and academia are collaborating on this vital mission to accelerate U.S. leadership in next-generation communications.I applaud my House colleagues for passing this important piece of legislation and urge the Senate to do the same.”

Specifically, the FUTURE Networks Act:

• Requires the FCC to establish a 6G Task Force comprised of industry, government, and public interest representatives to issue a report on:
  • The role of standards setting bodies in 6G
  • Possible use cases for 6G technology
  • Potential threats such as supply chain or cybersecurity, and;
  • Interagency coordination and promoting deployment

Full text of the bill is available HERE. 

                                               

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sam Graves (6th District of Missouri)

WASHINGTON, DC – The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, led by Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06), approved its budget reconciliation proposal to secure the border, support President Trump’s national security agenda, and modernize America’s air traffic control system. These investments will be more than offset by slashing funding for Green New Deal style programs, requiring electric vehicles (EVs) begin paying for their use of the highway system just like other highway users, and other deficit reduction measures. The T&I Committee will now send its proposal, which reduces the deficit by more than $10 billion, to the House Budget Committee. 

“The Committee took decisive action in support of the President’s America First agenda,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06). “My proposal cuts wasteful Green New Deal spending and ensures that electric vehicles finally start paying for the maintenance of our roads and bridges. We also approved historic investments in the United States Coast Guard to strengthen our national and border security, and we took equally important strides towards finally modernizing the nation’s outdated air traffic control system. ”

Chairman Graves’ proposal would reduce federal spending and deficits by rescinding unobligated funds and eliminating seven unnecessary Green New Deal style programs created in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Those programs include the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grants, Environmental Review Implementation Funds, and Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants under the Federal Highway Administration, among others. 

The proposal ensures that electric vehicles pay to fix our roads and bridges like other vehicles. The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is funded by user-fees. However, since EVs do not use gas, they do not pay the user fee, and this inequity contributes to a growing shortfall in the funds to repair roads and bridges across the country.

Chairman Graves proposal provides additional investments in the U.S. Coast Guard to protect national security and secure our maritime borders. It gives the Coast Guard the tools it needs to better protect our borders, stopping illegal immigrants and drugs from entering the country, and protectour national and economic security in the Arctic, where competitors such as China and Russia are aggressively expanding their activities.

It also invests in the improved safety and reliability of America’s air traffic control (ATC) system, replacing outdated ATC technology, modernizing the ATC system, and enhancing the hiring of air traffic controllers following several aviation tragedies in recent months, which are priorities of the President and DOT Secretary Duffy.

More information from yesterday’s Committee markup of the proposal is available here.

 

 

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bennie G Thompson (D-MS)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Tim Kennedy (D-NY) announced the leadership and membership of the Congressional Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus for the 119^th Congress. The Caucus, which was created two years ago, promotes the benefits of resilience and the need for equity in the country’s disaster preparedness and response infrastructure. Research has shown that racial minorities, rural areas, low-income communities, Tribes, individuals with disabilities, seniors, and children are all more likely to experience the most devastating impacts of disasters.

Reps. Thompson, Carter, Titus, and Kennedy will serve together as co-Chairs of the Caucus. They, along with Caucus members, aim to use the Caucus to advance conversations about how Congress can make disaster outcomes more equitable and strengthen communities. Since it was formed in 2023, the Caucus has held events with senior officials from the Biden White House and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and convened panels with key stakeholders to address urgent challenges and drive actionable solutions.

“As natural disasters become more severe and frequent, we’ve seen evidence showing that low-income communities and communities of color get left behind after disasters strike. That is inexcusable and unsustainable – and it’s something we must all address,” said Rep. Bennie G. Thompson. “Whether you can fully recover after a disaster should not depend on your background or where you live. Having frank discussions with my colleagues and disaster recovery experts on how we can do better is even more critical today as we see the Trump administration not only calling for the elimination of FEMA, but seemingly working around the clock to erase any progress that has been made in recent years to reduce systemic barriers to recovery. The Federal government must do better.”

“Storms don’t discriminate, and disaster relief shouldn’t either. Yet there have been long-standing inequities in disaster relief, especially for low-income, rural, and other minority communities. Louisiana knows this all too well, particularly as we prepare to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I’m proud to co-chair the Congressional Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus, which will advocate for disaster preparedness and recovery that better serves everyone. I look forward to working with the Caucus on how we better prepare for and recover from natural disasters,” said Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr.

“As the frequency and severity of natural disasters increase, it is more important than ever to ensure that every community has access to the tools it needs to prepare and recover from extreme weather events. Disasters wreak havoc on red states and blue states across the country. As a senior member of the House subcommittee overseeing emergency management and as the Co-Chair for the Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus, I’ve worked with FEMA and my Congressional colleagues to push for equitable disaster relief and resilience across the board. Together we can work to close the recovery gap and help every affected community and family rebuild,” said Rep. Dina Titus.

“Western New Yorkers know all too well the disproportionate impacts of extreme weather on our most vulnerable communities,” said Rep. Tim Kennedy. “We saw this firsthand during Winter Storm Elliott, a historic blizzard in December 2022 that took the lives of 47 individuals in my community. As these incidents become more frequent and more severe, we must ensure equity is at the forefront of the fight to improve disaster response, harden infrastructure, and build more resilient communities. I look forward to engaging in productive conversations as Co-Chair of the Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus about the importance of parity in federal disaster assistance for extreme cold weather. I want to thank Ranking Member Thompson for his continuous and steadfast leadership in Congress to make disaster recovery and response more equitable.”

In recent years, the Committee on Homeland Security held hearings on the issue of equity in disaster preparedness. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) also produced a report on disaster equity and barriers to recovery. Both led to legislation authored by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson to address systemic inequities in the Federal government’s response to disasters and how it distributes assistance. The Biden administration prioritized addressing equity in emergency management; however, those initiatives seem to have been canceled, with all evidence of them removed from White House and FEMA websites.  

Additional Caucus members include Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Al Green (D- TX), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Lou Correa (D-CA), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Pablo Hernández (D-PR), Julie Johnson (D-TX), LaMonica Mclver (D-NJ), Nellie Pou (D-NJ).

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) held his fourth telephone town hall of the year. Congressman Steil released the following statement after the event:

“My priority is to remain open and accessible to my constituents, which is why I regularly host in-person, telephone, and radio town halls so I can hear what matters most to members of our community,” said Steil. “The town hall this evening was a great opportunity for me to hear directly from Wisconsin families and answer their questions on issues ranging from Social Security and Medicare to DOGE and the SAVE Act.” 

Background:

• Since taking office, Congressman Steil has held 38 in-person listening sessions, including four this year in Janesville, Beloit, Racine, and Kenosha, which drew over 200 participants.
• Congressman Steil hosts monthly telephone town halls that draw hundreds of participants.
• Congressman Steil has also participated in radio town halls, including most recently with local Janesville radio host Tim Bremel.
• This year, Congressman Steil’s office has responded to more than 81,000 individual phone calls, letters, and emails.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

Headline: Moolenaar, Dingell Bill to Prevent TB Outbreaks Advanced by Committee

Today, Congressman John Moolenaar and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell’s (D-MI) bill, H.R. 1082, the Shandra Eisenga Human Cell and Tissue Product Safety Act, was passed unanimously by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The bipartisan legislation, which first passed the House of Representatives last December, would require the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct research and education campaigns to prevent deadly outbreaks of tuberculosis (TB) from infected tissue transplants. The legislation would also impose penalties on providers of tissue material responsible for any future TB infections. 

“The tuberculosis outbreak in 2023 that tragically took the life of Shandra Eisenga should never have happened. Our bill honors Shandra’s legacy by ensuring no one has to endure what she and her family went through. I am grateful for the bipartisan support of our bill, and I will continue my work to make it law to prevent future deadly TB outbreaks,” said Moolenaar.

“Shandra Eisenga’s death was a preventable tragedy, and we’ve seen far too many people lose their lives due to tuberculosis infection from bone graft material,” said Dingell, a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. “I am thankful this bill passed Committee on a bipartisan basis, and am thankful to the Washtenaw County Health Department and doctors at the University of Michigan who recognized this issue requires federal government action. We must do more to increase awareness of the risks of human cell and tissue product transplants and implement additional safeguards to protect patients from the dangers of these infections.”

The bipartisan legislation was introduced in response to the death of Shandra Eisenga on August 10, 2023, due to a tuberculosis infection from an infected bone graft. Shandra was one of 36 patients in seven states to contract TB after receiving a bone graft from an infected donor in 2023.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Boston – Yesterday, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi virtually joined PBS News Hour co-anchor and co-managing editor Geoff Bennett at the Reframe Festival in San Francisco to discuss the future of Democratic leadership. The conversation was presented by PBS News in partnership with Bay Area member station KQED.

Click here to watch the full conversation.

Read key quotes from the conversation below:

On President Trump’s proposed Budget:

Speaker Emerita Pelosi. The budget that the President put out that we just are reviewing now is one that is really a shame.

A budget should be a statement of our national values. What is important to us as a nation should be reflected in that budget. It should be a budget of investing in our future for our children and the rest. And if you review the budget that the President put forth, he cuts education. Nothing brings more money to the Treasury than the education of the American people. Early childhood, K-12, higher education, post-grad, lifetime learning for our workers.

The best dollar you can spend in the federal budget, I do believe, is basic biomedical research. The biblical power to cure, to save lives, to save funds for families who are confronted with illness and the rest. The list goes on and on. And why? Because he says he has to cut so that he can be fiscally sound—at the same time as he’s giving enormous tax cuts to the wealthiest people in our country.

On Democrats choosing when to fight back:

Speaker Emerita Pelosi. You have to prioritize carefully and make the distinction so the American people can see what impact this has on their lives—carefully prioritizing and at the same time show the narrative, again, with some specific issues, show the narrative thematically of what he is doing to our country. Again: disgraceful, shameful, un-American.

So again, we always have this debate: whether we go for opportunity, security, all of those things or specific pieces of legislation—we do both.

On Leader Hakeem Jeffries:

Speaker Emerita Pelosi. Our Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, is a master of this: repetition. Prioritize and repeat. Repetition, repetition, repetition. He’s so eloquent, and he’s so forceful in getting the message across.

And we know what is going to make things different too—by using different platforms. When I was Leader, we won in ’06, we won in ’18. But now we have different platforms—taking messages to platforms where people receive their information much more instantaneously. And he understands all of that. I’m so proud of his leadership.

He has the unity of our Caucus, the brilliance, and the strategic thinking of a leader. And again, values that would be reflected in a budget put forth by the Democrats and Leader Jeffries.

On a new generation of Democratic leadership:

Speaker Emerita Pelosi. Well, I’m an advocate for it. I was very, very proud to step aside. I wish that we had been in the majority—we will be in about eighteen months. And the point is, when I became the Leader after Dick Gephardt, he very graciously—when I became Leader, he did not interfere. And I don’t interfere. It’s about a new generation of leadership, thinking differently, employing the different tools of communication that exist now, and again, having the unity of the Caucus to support what you’re doing—not only as Leader but the legislation that you would put forth.

But we have to make sure the public knows what is in their interest—their kitchen table interest—the cost of health care and prescription drugs, the cost of education, the cost of housing, all of it.

And compare where the Democrats are and where the Republicans are on all of it. And as I say, not only Hakeem, but the rest of the Leadership—Katherine Clark, Massachusetts, her state; Pete Aguilar from California; Ted Lieu from California—so many, all champions on messaging and champions for working families.

On a Republican cuts to the American safety net:

Speaker Emerita Pelosi. As far as Medicare, Social Security—they paid into this. It’s not an entitlement. This is their money. They paid into this for their whole working careers. And now they’re going to say, we’re going to cut this out because we need to save money so we can give tax cuts to the richest people in America?

No. No, we’re not doing that.

On repairing the damage President Trump is doing:

Speaker Emerita Pelosi. This is what we did in ’18. The President said, he said in the very distinguished way as he’s used to speaking, ‘Obamacare sucks.’

I hate to even quote him, but I hope my grandchildren aren’t listening. Obamacare doesn’t suck. It cures. It cures.

We went out there. We had 10,000 events around the country of people telling their stories. They didn’t talk about politics or provisions of the bill. They talked about their stories:

‘My baby was born with a heart condition.’

‘My wife had breast cancer.’

‘My mother — this or that.’

They told their stories and how that bill made a difference in their lives. Not only did we win the election, we won it with 40 seats—31 of them in Trump districts. People said to me afterward, ‘Aren’t you lucky that the Affordable Care Act—that health care—became such a central issue of the campaign?’

I said, ‘No, we weren’t lucky. We made our own luck.’

And that’s what we will do between now and the election.

We will win the House. Hakeem will be the Speaker. He’ll be historic in his leadership—as well as the other members of the Leadership—and all of it because of the courage of our Members to take the tough votes to get the job done.

On a potential peace deal in Ukraine:

Speaker Emerita Pelosi. I have no idea what it is that Putin has on Trump—politically, personally, financially, whatever it happens to be—that he should be kowtowing to Putin over and over again, saying that the Ukrainians started the war.

But forget about that. [Russia] came into this country. They raped the women. They did that in front of their children, in front of their parents.

They kidnapped the children—tens of thousands of them—sent them to Russia, far reaches of Russia. They murdered people in front of their family members. And they’re supposed to get land for that? That’s not where I am.

But I’m not the President of Ukraine. I respect whatever decision he makes. But for us to say Russia should get land in order to leave—after they’ve committed crimes against humanity? Crimes against humanity.

I don’t think Putin can go anyplace without getting arrested for his crimes against humanity—at least Europe recognizes that. Others recognize that—even if Donald Trump thinks that’s okay.

On her proudest accomplishment and legacy:

Speaker Emerita Pelosi. Of course, the Affordable Care Act. Because this was directly, directly beneficial to America’s working families.

And it’s about the national health care financial stability as well. But with all legislation, you want to do more. You don’t do more in terms of lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

We did that in the IRA, but we can’t do it totally. We have to do it in stages, and I would like to do it all at once. But we have to get it passed in the Congress.

What was the hardest thing? Well, I always knew we had the votes.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement on President Trump’s first 100 days in office:

“The first 100 days of the Trump Administration have been a train wreck of fear, incompetence and broken promises. While failing to lift a finger to bring down costs for hardworking Americans, President Trump is instead recklessly driving us toward recession, attacking earned Social Security benefits, firing patriotic American Veterans, cutting off vital medical research, and making families pay more for less health care. The disastrous record of this Administration has left the American people feeling the pain of failed policies – but as President Trump has said, he ‘couldn’t care less.’

“100 days of President Trump’s agenda have made American families more vulnerable and our nation less safe, even before Republicans try to push millions out of Medicaid health coverage to give tax breaks to their billionaire donors. Today, Leader Hakeem Jeffries outlined our plan to continue fighting back against the Trump Administration’s chaos, cruelty and corruption. While Republicans choose to protect the wealthy and well-connected, House Democrats are united behind Leader Jeffries in our commitment to fight for working families with our blueprint for a better America.”